


The straw that broke the camel's back

by statuscrows



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Emotional Manipulation, Hero Worship, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Pre-Canon, Sadism, Under-negotiated Kink, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2021-01-29 20:21:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21416113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/statuscrows/pseuds/statuscrows
Summary: Galo offers to help Kray with his anger issues. It's probably not his best plan.
Relationships: Kray Foresight/Galo Thymos
Comments: 16
Kudos: 157





	The straw that broke the camel's back

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文-普通话 國語 available: [压垮骆驼的最后一根稻草](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23116504) by [yezixx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yezixx/pseuds/yezixx)

Kray isn't in the best mood.

During the town hall earlier he'd been bombarded by questions about the seeming uptick in Burnish crimes. It'd gone on through the afternoon and late into the evening but Kray handled it as well as usual, talking about how Burninh Rescue was going to receive more funding, and trying to sound as sympathetic as possible. It hadn't worked for everyone. One woman, who'd apparently lost her child in a Burnish accident, found him afterwards when he was in the middle of shaking hands and posing for pictures, and slapped him in the face, all the while yelling that he was an unfeeling sociopath. Galo, who'd been there despite having the day off, got between them immediately, trying unhelpfully to talk the sobbing woman down. Security came by and did the actual work of leading the woman away and Kray made sure he was smiling when he reassured everyone that he was just fine.

And he isn't hurt, obviously. It’s nothing that Kray isn't more than equipped to handle, but the incident left a bad taste in his mouth. So much so that even Galo seems to notice, if the way he hovers beside him all the way home is any indication. He stays right at his side even as Kray unlocks his front door and steps into his foyer.

"Did you need anything Galo?" Kray finally asks him. It's late and he knows that Galo has work in the morning.

Galo shrugs, still standing by the door. Annoying enough to follow Kray home like a lost puppy but polite enough to wait for an invitation. Kray doesn't offer one. "Not really," Galo says. "Just felt like coming. If that's alright with you gov," he adds.

A stab of impatience goes through Kray but he smiles through it. "Sorry. I'm not really in the mood for company tonight. You should go home."

"'Course. Another time maybe," Galo says, as though they hang out alone frequently. He scratches his head. "Don't let what that lady did get you down."

"I promise I've heard much worse."

Galo looks affronted, like the thought of Kray being unliked is completely absurd to him. "Only 'cause people don't get how hard you work for the city!"

There's a headache building behind Kray's eyes but he keeps his smile as patient as ever. "I'm a politician. Someone is going to hate me no matter what."

"You're not just a politician though, you're Kray Foresight!" Galo insists. "It's not fair that you get treated like shit!"

It happens without warning. One moment he's annoyed with Galo in a deeply familiar way and the next his fist is hitting Galo's jaw. It’s been years since he's thrown a punch, more than a decade really, but the act comes over him suddenly. Galo stumbles, and catches himself against the wall.

His expression is stunned and Kray suspects he's mirroring the look. He didn't realize there'd been heat building under his skin until it finally started to fade. Kray lowers his fist.

"I'm sorry," he says. "I don't know why I did that."

Galo touches his chin and then laughs. "Damn, you've got a hell of a punch!" he announces cheerfully.

"I suppose."

"I guess I was being pretty naive again, huh?" There's a subdued energy around Galo now that's not nearly as abrasive. He stands back up, still holding his face.

"A little," Kray says. "But I didn't mean to do that."

"I'm not upset, I promise!" Galo grins. "This might as well be what I'm here for."

"Being my punching bag?"

"Making your job easier!" Galo says. "You can't go exploding at random citizens that piss you off but nothing I see will change my opinion of you. "

"That's." _Idiotic_, Kray thinks. "Very kind of you to say. But I doubt that."

"It's true. You're the coolest and you're a hero! So what if you get angry sometimes? You don't need to hold anything back with me.”

Kray finally returns his smile, discomfort spreading. If Galo had the brain to process everything he noticed they’d be in trouble. "What makes you think I'm angry sometimes?"

"Huh? Oh. I dunno. It just feels like it." He shrugs. "I'm probably wrong, right?"

"No. No, you're not wrong." He flexes his hand. It feels fine but the lack of a sting in his knuckles is strangely disappointing. "How do you feel?"

"Not bad. I'm always getting wacked around on the job. Doesn't stop me from getting back up!"

"Of course it wouldn't."

Things go quiet after that. Galo looks towards the door like he's planning to excuse himself when Kray asks, "what if I'm angry all the time?"

Galo looks back at him, eyes curious. "Are you?"

"Let's say I am. What then?"

"That's...". Kray can hear gears turning and finds himself inching marginally closer. Galo's eyes are shut as he concentrates and he doesn't notice.

Finally he says, "Then I'll help you!"

"And how will you do that?" Kray asks, taking another step. If Galo notices the intense proximity he doesn't react to it.

"I don't know but I'll do it! However I can, whenever you figure out what you need from me, I'll be here."

Ordinarily the posturing would make things worse but today it doesn't. He isn't sure why he's entertaining Galo's non-ideas, much less encouraging them, but he's more aware of Galo than normal now, and wants whatever he's poorly trying to offer.

So instead of shutting him down he smiles and says what he's sure Galo has wanted to hear from him for years.

"I'll be counting on you then Galo."

And Galo, predictably, grins. "I won't let you down!”

Anger like the kind he experienced around Galo that night isn't new to him. Some of it, he's sure, comes with being Burnish—he's pretty sure he wouldn't fantasize about buildings catching fire entirely on his own—but a lot of it is just him, and started long before his powers manifested. Luckily Kray excels at keeping secrets and keeping his feelings on a tight leash, so not even a life of constant public scrutiny is enough to make him slip.

That doesn't mean he doesn't feel the same desire for fire and chaos that other Burnish do. And that he doesn't sometimes wish he could let the Promare go just a little bit. It's just that he absolutely refuses to.

Ordinarily Kray's staff screens his mail before he gets to it, getting rid of useless junk like fan mail, letters from kids, and miscellaneous citizen's complaints, responding to anything else that doesn't require his personal attention themselves. It's convenient and leaves him with only a few letters to get through in between meetings, phone calls, and everything else that needs to get done.

Evidently however, his new secretary hasn't yet figured out that this is part of his job because Kray picks up a piece of mail after getting back from lunch and reads the words "you bigoted sack of shit" before he sees red.

Kray doesn't use his Burnish powers. Ever. So it's quite a shock when the page catches fire instantly, burning to ash as though he's been using them every day of his life.

"I'm not upset by the letter," Kray explains gently to his new secretary, "but if I'm reading all of that I'm taking time away from actual work I could be doing."

"My bad," the secretary says. He's the nephew of a political ally, which is the only reason he got the internship in the first place. "Do you want me to trash it?"

Kray's face twitches. "It's fine. I already shredded it. Just don't let it happen again."

The incompetence of it irks him but it's one of many, many indignities that Kray puts himself through daily. Still, Kray imagines igniting the spoiled, lazy young man and like usual, he easily keeps himself from doing it. The desire to hit him remains but he knows that most people don't react to being hit nearly as well as Galo did.

Kray lowers his pen and stares at the stack of papers he's supposed to be signing, not exactly seeing them. Not for the first time his thoughts go to Galo after he'd been hit, how he'd excused it so easily. Kray pulls out his phone.

He's got three texts, all of which he's already read.

Galo (12:44): hey gov!! in the mood for a coffee? im in the area

Galo (1:26): nvm ur probably busy. kick some ass today!

Galo (1:27): oh crap sorry i forgot about the no texting during work hours rule. sorry gov just ignore those lol

Kray's pen is tapping erratically against the desk. He's got an incredibly bad idea brewing.

Kray (2:02): Come over tonight. 8pm.

He hasn't put his phone down before it vibrates again.

Galo (2:02): see ya then gov!

Galo's right on time. From his bedroom window Kray could see him staring at his phone outside the apartment building, waiting to press the call button for Kray's place so he wouldn't be too early. Galo's had a key to his apartment for years but he knows not to use it unless there's an emergency or Kray expressly tells him to. Kray didn't, so Galo gets buzzed in and then knocks.

"Hey gov!" Galo greets cheerfully. Kray waves him in and then goes back to his coffee, letting Galo lead them through overenthusiastic small talk. Galo takes the seat opposite him, at first sitting sideways across the arm of the chair, but a disapproving glance gets him to sit down properly.

For a while he endures just talking to Galo. He's clearly over the moon at the thought of being invited over for nothing but his presence, if the glint in his eyes and his hurried speech is any hint, so he lets Galo enjoy that thought for as long as he can stand.

When they reach a natural lull in their conversation Kray asks, "Did you mean what you said?"

Galo blinks. "You mean....not the best pizza place?"

"No, not that."

He waits patiently for Galo to pick up what he's saying. Before the silence has a chance to become awkward recognition crosses Galo's face. "Ohhhh! The stuff about helping you? Hell yeah I meant it!" He lowers his voice slightly. "Sir."

"I'm glad to hear it." Kray gets up and crosses the room. "I already knew you were a man of your word."

The way Galo preens under the last four words would weaken a lot of resolves.

"I thought of a way for you to help," Kray says, continuing undeterred. He gestures for Galo to get up and he does immediately. "You're free to change your mind, of course."

"Not a chance in hell."

He squeezes Galo's shoulder. "Good. I was hoping you'd say that."

He'd been lucky last time. Since Galo was always getting himself hit in the head no one had looked twice at his bruised cheek. But if the bruises came too often, if they were places that were too visible, they'd draw attention.

So he punches Galo in the stomach.

He doesn't hold back at all so Galo doubles over, unsteady on his feet. But maybe Kray is losing his touch because he doesn't fall. He scrambles for Kray's hand on his shoulder and coughs twice.

"G-gov?"

He pushes on Galo's shoulder until he acquiesces and stands up straight again. This time Galo is more braced, his muscles tight with anticipation. Kray hits the same spot.

"O-oh," Galo grunts, teeth gritted. "I getcha. You...really weren't kidding about the punching bag thi—"

His mouth snaps shut around a pained noise as Kray punches him again. For the first time in his life Kray wants him to continue talking, if only to hear one of those sounds slip loose.

It's working. With each punch he feels less like he might burst into flames and burn the city down. Galo, he is mildly impressed to see, stays on his feet the entire time and is nearly silent.

Eventually the fire goes out of him (or rather he feels less pissed off) and he grabs Galo an ice pack he'd prepared in his freezer. Galo takes it and nearly collapses onto his couch looking pale and shaky.

Kray sits down beside him, studying the unusually complex expression on Galo's face.

"Did that uh...help?" Galo asks warily.

"Yes it did. Thank you Galo."

It's almost amazing how his earnest tone makes the complexity and doubt vanish from Galo's expression, smoothing it into something more simple and familiar. Galo laughs, first a little nervously and then more like himself. "Course gov. Anytime!"

He absolutely cannot start doing something like that "anytime". It's not that he values his relationship with Galo enough to never do it again but it wouldn't be wise to let something so politically dangerous become a hobby. He tells himself this as soon as Galo is out the door.

Kray expects to be up all night, worrying about whether or not that was the right move but he’s asleep a minute after his head hits the pillow. He wakes when his alarm goes off, feeling more refreshed than he has in a while. It shouldn't be surprising, it's not as though he's ever been prone to guilt. And he's back at his best the very next day, which is an excellent sign. It wouldn't be wise for a man as busy as him to lose sleep.

When a few months later Kray's pen explodes in a small burst of flame during an important call he decides that "anytime" is in fact referring to tonight. By this point the previous bruises have probably faded and Galo has gone back to looking at him with nothing but trust and admiration. Kray texts him and when he shows up that evening he looks downright pleased to be back.

"I'm glad you trust me to see you like this!" Galo says easily.

Kray dislocates his shoulder.

He sets it afterwards and apologizes, of course, albeit not very much. Kray made them dinner this time and Galo eats three servings with an unrealistic amount of cheer, wincing every time he reaches across the table.

The next time he invites Galo over they watch a movie and Kray doesn't try to hit him. He can see Galo's eyes darting towards him every few minutes, an expectant air about him. Kray, on occasion, looks back but does nothing.

The evening is agonizing and Galo clearly has a great time, so he would've categorized the night as a success. If, when Galo was in the middle of putting on his shoes, he hadn't been struck by a sudden urge to hurt Galo again and grabbed him by the arm without thinking.

"Did you want something, gov?" Galo asks. From the casual tone Kray could've said his name, instead of roughly grabbing him but the point of having him over after all was to get him to drop his guard again around Kray. Kray wants to take his face in his hands and smash it against the door.

The urge makes no sense: he's had a perfectly decent week. There's no reason he should be so eager to see Galo's smile tinted with blood, yet that's all he can think about. He switches from holding Galo's arm to cupping his cheek and that does spark a reaction in Galo. A look of pleasant surprise washes over him, catching him off guard.

Galo swallows and then shuts his eyes.

Kray could laugh at how wildly he's misinterpreting the moment. He'd dig his fingers into the boy’s skin, or gouge out his eyes, before he'd consider kissing Galo.

"What are you doing?" he asks, softly enough to be pitying.

"Huh?" Galo blinks. Color rises to his cheek. "Haha, I thought you were--I thought we were--uh, anyway! A firefighter is prepared for any eventuality so uh, yeah."

He doesn't turn the question around and ask what Kray was doing so he doesn't offer. "I believe you were on your way out?"

It's rare to see Galo embarrassed but it's not an unattractive look for him. "Yeah, right. Night gov."

Galo leaves but he doesn't take the urge for violence with him. Only now he's got Galo's blushing face rattling around his head as well.

Winter in Promepolis is usually his least favorite season because of the frequent storms along with school and government closures. This year winter brings something more pleasant.

"_Ghh_—" Galo chokes out beneath him. Kray has both hands wrapped around his throat and is giving him a fair excuse to spend the rest of winter wearing a scarf. Winter used to be the only season where he consistently wore a shirt but now it's less of a novelty. Apparently everyone at Burning Rescue thinks he's wearing shirts more often because he's maturing in some way. He wonders what people will think if Galo shows up in a turtleneck.

Galo's face is red. He's got a hand tight in Kray's shirt and his heels digging into the mattress. This is probably the first time he's let Galo into his room. His tan skin stands out nicely on his white sheets, especially as his flush grows more prominent.

Kray lets him go and Galo rolls onto his side coughing roughly. Once it subsides Galo lies on his back once more and nods for him to continue. They've done this three times already but Galo hasn't questioned how long it'll go on for, or asked him to stop.

"You're so reliable, Galo," Kray says, wrapping his hands around Galo's throat.

There are tears in Galo's eyes but he still manages a smile.

As frequent as these sessions are becoming Kray only lets himself call Galo about one in every twenty times that he thinks about it. His initial rule was "only once the bruises have healed" but even with technology being what it is, and Galo being in great shape, it's not always enough.

He's unused to thinking about Galo this much. When he'd first had him join Burning Rescue he'd caught himself hoping for a bad phone call in the night but he didn't exactly agonize over it. Now every time he faces a mild annoyance he sees Galo in his mind. Stuck in rush hour with his driver in the wrong lane he imagines kicking Galo in the ribs until something breaks. In the middle of a mandatory fire drill he sees himself breaking Galo's fingers one at a time. And, late at night when he's up because his assistant got him regular instead of decaff, he wraps a hand around his dick and imagines leaving burns over Galo's skin with a gentle meandering touch.

The last image is one he can't indulge in for long. Not because he rationally understands that it's counterintuitive but because it gets him off so hard and so quickly that he doesn't have time to dwell on it.

Despite a few messy town halls and increased Burnish activity Kray expects to win his reelection by a landslide. He is, after all, the wealthiest man in the city and supposedly responsible for the technology that was keeping Promepolis safe. In the months before the election he's thinking more about what he'll do in his next term than how he'll win a few extra votes.

So he isn't thrilled when, instead of winning by a landslide, he wins by less than three percent to a middle aged high school teacher.

His staff, all the people who helped run his campaign, celebrate like it's somehow impressive for the man who made Promepolis what it is to nearly lose and their excessive cheer makes Kray actively sick. He considers firing all of his staff on the spot but there are too many ordinary citizens around for him to do something like that. He'll fire them off slowly over the next few weeks.

Kray says goodbye to everyone at the victory celebration at around eleven, thanking them for their hard work. Quite a few people protest, trying to get him to stay longer and maybe have an actual drink, but Kray is insistent. He shakes a few hands, takes a few final pictures, and then, as discreetly as he can, grabs Galo by the arm and drags him outside.

"Somethin' up gov?" Galo asks when they're outside, slurring just a little.

Kray is still all smiles. "What do you think?"

"Uh. Dunno." He rubs his face. "You seem kinda pissed."

"Yes, I'd say I am." Kray hails them both a cab. Thankfully Galo is quiet on the way back, doing his best impression of a much more sober man.

It isn't until they're back at his apartment that Galo asks, "are we going to...?"

Kray takes his time hanging his coat and uniform jacket. It's clear that Galo is trying his best not to stare but he keeps forgetting not to every few seconds. His eyes finally settle on Kray's face when Kray approaches him for the first time.

Galo visibly swallows as Kray takes off his scarf, revealing the very faded line of bruises that circle his throat. The scarf is clearly necessary—the bruises are still obviously hand shaped and not a lot of people have hands as large as Kray's.

"Take off your shirt," Kray says. He doesn't look at his reaction or stay to see if he'll obey. He sits down on the couch and fishes a cigarette out of his suit pants.

"I-I didn't know you smoked gov," Galo says.

"I don't usually. I stopped doing it regularly in college." He lights it and takes a pull. "I picked up this pack and a lighter once the results started coming in. Why isn't your shirt off?"

Galo's hands are on the bottom of his shirt, lifting partially but nowhere near taking it off. He winces under Kray's stare and pulls it off with a quiet apology.

"Don't apologize. Just come here."

Galo sits on the couch next to him, looking more uncomfortable than Kray's ever seen him with his lack of a shirt. Kray keeps smoking for a while before getting up and planting his knee between Galo's thighs.

"Gov?"

With the hand that isn't holding his cigarette he touches Galo's chest, probably more gently than he's ever touched him before. Galo's eyes go wide with alarm as fingers skim over his pecs but he remains still.

At least until he takes one of Galo's nipples between his fingers and twists. Galo startles at that, nearly dislodging him.

"Hold still," Kray says. And then he does it again.

"I-I thought you'd be in a good mood today," Galo says, breath hitching.

"Well clearly you thought wrong, didn't you?" He pinches the other nipple mercilessly.

Galo squeaks and his hands come up like he means to push Kray away. Kray stops and stares at him flatly, silently daring him to object. But as usual Galo doesn't. He balls up his hands by his side and arches into Kray's waiting hands.

"That's what I thought," Kray says.

It goes on like that for a while. At first Galo takes it with just some hard blushing but eventually his eyes water and soon enough there are tears running down his cheeks. It's a more satisfying sight than he expected. He always enjoys seeing Galo hurt but the best part of it might be the way that Galo strains to take whatever Kray gives him. The added burden of humiliation is doing something to Kray.

It doesn't surprise him at all when he looks down and finds Galo hard in his pants, after all he's nearly in the same state.

He's been smoking throughout all of this, letting ash collect on the windowsill behind the couch when need be, but a different thought is tempting him. He can't use his powers on Galo but there's other ways to burn his skin.

"Gov?" Galo asks softly, clearly worried by his sudden inactivity.

The mark would look good on him and his reaction alone might be worth it. It's been years since he's hurt anyone with his fire

"Kray?" The nervousness in Galo's voice is tantalizing. But a cigarette burn was distinctive and Galo had yet to grow out of his constant desire to be shirtless. It'd heal strangely and draw too much attention to itself.

"Is something wrong?" Kray asks, smiling. He leans past the couch to put out the cigarette on the window sill, watching Galo relax out of the corner of his eyes.

"It's nothing." He discreetly rubs his sweaty palms on his pants. "I was just gonna say I—"

Kray returns to his place between Galo's spread thighs and this time his knee brushes his erection. He looks at Galo with a raised eyebrow.

Galo laughs nervously. "Sorry."

"Do me a favor, Galo." He runs his hand over Galo's chest, taking in the small winces he gets when he lingers over his sensitive nipples.

"Yeah, gov?"

"Lay down."

When Galo had first hit his growth spurt Kray had occasionally considered the possibility of being outgrown (only in the literal sense, the boy would never really leave him be). It doesn't seem nearly as likely these days and there's strong sense of rightness that comes with that. With his height and weight he has Galo beat, not to mention every other category. 

It's never been more obvious how much of an upper hand he has over Galo than it is now. He's seen Galo run into burning buildings with a braver face than the one he's got on as Kray nudges his thighs apart. His eyes are wide and his face is almost comically off-balance. He's fairly certain that Galo has never done this before. Not that he cares to ask.

Instead of wasting time on pleasantries he gets a hand in Galo's pants to cup his erection. He tries to soften his expression, suspecting that he still very much looks disdainful and angry, but he can't really tell from Galo's reaction if he succeeds at all. It doesn't particularly matter. Galo is hard in his hand and it feels so much like it does to hurt him; Galo silent and obeying, Kray completely in control. He could get used to this.

About as quickly as can be expected, Galo comes in his pants. He's still vaguely on the verge of tears when he asks, "D-did that help?"

"No," Kray says honestly. "It made it worse."

Galo looks a little wounded at that. "What do we do now then?”

"I can think of another way you could help me if you're up for it."

"Yeah?"

"If this hasn't been too much for you."

"Whatever you need gov."

The ease with which Galo takes off his pants and rolls onto all fours confirms many things that Kray's been certain of for years, chief among them that he could have his dick in Galo anytime he wanted. Now that he knows this, now that he's certain that Galo will give everything to him this time, "anytime" will probably be fairly often.

Galo looks good on his hands and knees with the bow of his back and the thick spread of his cheeks in Kray's hands. It's been longer than he cares to admit since he's had sex but even so he's shocked at how much Galo is affecting him.

Galo takes his cock with a fair amount of lube, a good deal of determination, and does so surprisingly quietly compared to the way he does everything else. As Kray fucks into him for the first time he makes these aborted little movements like he means to pull away but stops himself each time. Kray can feel him shaking with tension.

"That's good," Kray says, voice heavy.

Galo's flesh dimples beneath his hands, reddens beneath his nails as he digs them into his ass. His hole is tight and tense around Kray's cock and makes it easy to lose himself in fucking into him. A wounded noise escapes Galo and he bites down on his hand to stifle it.

He bites back on the sharp comment he wants to make. "Thank you," he says instead, "I wouldn't want to alarm my neighbors."

Galo nods and makes a small pleased sound. The noises that Galo's making that are unnecessarily smothered for the neighbors behind Kray's very much soundproof wall are sweet and vaguely wounded. Kray really didn't consider how much better hurting Galo could get.

Galo touches the hand on his hip and his skin feels cold. "You're burning up, gov," he says.

That's something of an understatement.

He hasn't been this close to catching fire in years.

He lets go of Galo's hips and pins his shoulders down with his artificial hand instead, trying to keep skin contact to a minimum. If it gets much worse he thinks steam might start rising from his body but he feels amazing. That's the problem with the Promare--it always wanted to be used and it felt damn good.

It's a near thing but Kray manages to not burn anything when he comes. He only notices that Galo also comes because of a sudden tightness around his cock and a sound Galo makes, much softer than Kray himself had been when he'd come.

He makes them tea afterwards and doesn't comment on all the sugar that Galo adds to his. He doesn't notice the slightly pink marks that Kray left on just his right hip, tender precursors to actual burns. Since he's only wearing his boxers Kray can do very little _but_ notice them, and lament his inability to leave real marks with his powers.

For once Galo isn't very chatty, just drinking his tea with an obvious aura of apprehension. Several times he meets Kray's eyes only to look away again, leaving his piece unsaid. It's an unusual state to see Galo in.

He’d assumed Galo was a sure thing at this point but as things are it feels like he’ll probably get one more fuck out of Galo at most before even his indulgence runs dry. He doesn't imagine Galo will suddenly grow the spine to turn him down but he's sure he'll be busy next time Kray calls on him. Kray finds himself displeased at the thought of Galo not being at his beck and call. Last night he was humiliated to barely be elected again but today he feels better than he has in years. He won't give it up.

"Galo," Kray says softly. "You look like you have something on your mind."

Galo starts to take a drink of his now empty cup, then stops himself with an awkward smile. "Sorry, gov. Didn't mean to space out on you."

"It's no problem." He looks down at his untouched tea before putting it aside. "Come here."

It isn't much but Galo hesitates for a second before scooting his chair closer. He keeps his hands curled around his seat like he means to back away from him at any second.

"Thank you," Kray says. He takes Galo by the chin and tilts his face up towards him. Surprise lights up his face as Kray places a careful kiss by the corner of his mouth. His lips have gone slack and open by the time Kray's tongue finds itself inside his mouth. When Galo finally catches his bearings he responds enthusiastically, pushing his tongue awkwardly against Kray's and clutching at his shirt.

"It's alright Galo," he says when Galo finally settles in his lap. "If you can't handle what we've been doing we can stop. I won't hold it against you."

Galo shakes his head frantically, chest heaving as he breathes. "That's...." he starts to say. Kray kisses him again, pressing further.

"I mean it," Kray continues. Galo's face is redder than he's ever seen it. Maybe he shouldn't have been so reluctant to kiss him in the first place if Galo were so placated by it. "Sure, it's been helping a lot but it isn't worth you upsetting yourself over."

"No way!" Galo insists. "Don't you worry about me gov. I can handle whatever you throw at me."

"That's good, Galo," he says, stroking Galo's hair. "You're really the only person I can count on."

Galo beams so brightly that Kray is overtaken by the urge to clasp his hand over the boy's mouth and nose until he's no longer being blinded by his smile. Until he can smother the expression right out of him.

So he does. And Galo takes it all.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! you can find me on twitter @[statuscrows](http://twitter.com/statuscrows)


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